Current plasma processing systems used in semiconductor wafer fabrication rely on highly interdependent control parameters to control radical separation, radical flux, ion energy, and ion flux delivered to the wafer. For example, current plasma processing systems attempt to achieve necessary radical separation, radical flux, ion energy, and ion flux by controlling a single plasma generated in the presence of the wafer. Unfortunately, chemistry dissociation and radical formation are coupled to ion production and plasma density and often do not work in concert to achieve the desired plasma processing conditions.
For example, it is difficult in current plasma processing systems to obtain higher chemical dissociation and lower ion density simultaneously in the same plasma, as the higher chemical dissociation requires application of higher power which in turn causes generation of higher ion density. Also, in current plasma processing systems, the high interdependence of the control parameters limits smaller technology node application processing windows and/or manufacturing capability. Given the foregoing, there is a need for a plasma processing system that provides for independent control of radical/neutral flux relative to ion flux.